The Army and Air Force Exchange Service is rolling out a more customer-friendly online store that’s expected to launch in early July.

AAFES has been focusing on improving its website as well as the processing of orders, recognizing that more than half of our troops live more than 20 miles from a brick-and-mortar exchange — and that even those who live closer like to do more of their shopping online these days.

The new website will have an expanded assortment of products. AAFES has been gradually building that assortment to include items sold in its brick-and-mortar stores. A year ago, about 5 percent of online items also were sold in on-base stores. Now, it’s about 20 percent.

AAFES, which has been calling its brick-and-mortar stores as well as its online store “The Exchange,” operates the online store, www.shopmyexchange.com, for all authorized exchange shoppers. The Navy Exchange Service Command also operates an online store that reflects the merchandise available in its brick-and-mortar stores, at www.mynavyexchange.com.

The Exchange online store, which will transfer to a new online platform, will offer same-day shipping on orders placed before 3 p.m. Central time. The goal is to have items delivered within five to seven business days. It will also include improved order tracking to provide information about when your order will arrive.

Shoppers will more quickly be able to find items they want, with improved site navigation. Watch for more information to come.

Commissary deals

Commissary customers can download a free Android app from the Google Play store, allowing you to receive and “clip” digital coupons. You can download these coupons to your commissary rewards card. This app joins the iPhone/iPad app. These apps also help customers connect to their nearest commissary with phone numbers and addresses.

“Now with apps for both operating systems, our patrons have more flexibility on when and where they can clip coupons, review their lists of downloaded coupons and track which ones have been redeemed or expired,” said Mary Carr, rewards card manager for the Defense Commissary Agency.

Once you’ve “clipped” — downloaded — coupons to your account and they are loaded on your card, you can print a list of the coupons and take them with you, along with your card, to the commissary so you’ll remember the terms and conditions of the coupons you’ve loaded. At the checkout, the cashier will scan the card to give you the discounts.

Since the commissary rewards card program began in September 2012, customers have downloaded more than 26 million digital coupons and redeemed more than 3 million — for a savings of $3.6 million.